Commercial Lighting Integrated Platform
One or more interconnectable modules, each comprising a housing mounting an LED circuit board on an underside thereof and having a guide track on a top surface thereof with one or more slip fitter components shaped to slidably insert into and engage or attach to the guide track and configured to cooperate with one or more of a ceiling mounting bracket, a hanger bracket, an eye hanger and a cable hanging arrangement in order to provide multiple modes of hanging, suspending or otherwise mounting the one or more lighting modules.
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This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/689,489, filed Nov. 29, 2012, and entitled “Commercial Lighting Integrated Platform,” now U.S. patent, which claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/637,115, filed Apr. 23, 2012, entitled “Suspendable LED Light Fixture,” the contents of each of which applications is hereby incorporated herein by reference herein in their entireties.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSUREThe subject disclosure relates to LED light fixtures and more particularly to such fixtures which are modular so that they may vary in length and are readily adaptable to be suspended from or otherwise connected to, a ceiling or a variety of other surfaces in a number of different manners and configurations.
RELATED ARTIn the past, twin tube fluorescent T-5, T-8, and T-12 fixtures have been used to provide overhead illumination.
SUMMARYLight fixture apparatus according to one illustrative embodiment comprises one or more interconnectable modules each module comprising a housing mounting an LED circuit board on an underside thereof and having a guide track mounted on a top surface thereof and attached thereto. A slip fitter component is shaped to slidably insert into and engage or attach to the guide track. The apparatus may include a ceiling mounting bracket, a hanger bracket, an eye hanger and/or a cable hanging arrangement, each of which is adapted to mate and interconnect with the slip fitter component to provide multiple modes of hanging or suspending of the one or more lighting modules.
A particularly advantageous lighting apparatus embodiment disclosed hereafter may comprise a lighting platform for mounting one or more LEDs having a first bottom cover having respective first and second side channels formed at opposite corners thereof, each side channel comprising a horizontal bottom edge curving into a vertical side edge, and an upper housing having respective outer side surfaces which, at respective upper ends thereof, extend outwardly, then vertically downward, then horizontally inward and then downward to form respective extended end tip surfaces. In one embodiment, respective screws may be inserted through the first and second channels and angled upwardly and threaded into the end tip surfaces of the upper housing to thereby attach the bottom cover to the upper housing. Another advantageous feature comprises a driver assembly for powering the LEDs mounted in an internal cavity defined by the bottom cover and the upper housing, the driver assembly being spring biased upwardly and otherwise configured to facilitate heat transfer between the driver assembly and the upper housing.
An illustrative embodiment of a suspendable LED light fixture 11 is illustrated in
One of the lower housing components 15, 17 is illustrated in more detail in
As may be seen in
As may be appreciated from
The embodiment shown in
As may be seen in
As shown in
An end junction box component 19 is illustrated in
As illustrated in
Illustrative embodiments can produce high levels of light for both general ambient and accent light. Typical applications may include retail, manufacturing and warehouse facilities. Illustrative embodiments may comprise 1 foot, 4 foot, 6 foot, or 8 foot joined together modules, and may have, for example, either 4 or 6 LEDs per foot, producing 600 to over 1000 lumens per foot. A lightly frosted acrylic lens, e.g., 32, may be provided in certain embodiments. In illustrative embodiments, the LEDs may be 350 milliamps (ma) or 550 ma units. Certain embodiments permit long runs from a single power feed for ease of installation—120 feet @ 120 volts or 250 feet @ 277 volts power feeds are possible at virtually any point along a run. Electronic Low Voltage (ELV) dimming may be provided in some embodiments such that no additional control wires are necessary.
A semicircular lens components 421 snaps in or otherwise attaches to each bottom cover 417. In the illustrative embodiments, side tabs 418 formed on the lens component 421 snap into corresponding apertures 420 (
As shown in
In one embodiment, extended tips or “wings” 437 are provided on depending surfaces 439 of the upper extrusion 419. These tips 437 and surfaces 439 extend beneath the screws 435 and are shaped and dimensioned such that, if the bottom cover 417 is properly mated and aligned with the upper extrusion 419, the screws 435 will bite in and pull the units 417, 419 more tightly together, whereas, if they are misaligned the screws 435 will not bite and hold at all.
As further shown in
In one embodiment, the top surface 464 of the driver unit 425 is attached to an undersurface 465 of the driver bracket 427 by double sided thermal adhesive tape. The springs 429, 431 are put in compression mode when the bottom cover 417 and upper housing 419 are attached together, thereby pressing the top surface 463 of driver bracket 425 against the horizontal surface 453 of the upper housing 419. In one embodiment, the driver unit housing itself could have flanges formed integrally or unitarily therewith or thereon to accommodate the bolts 459, 461, thereby eliminating the need for a driver bracket such as bracket 427.
As shown, for example, in
As seen in
The central holes 580 formed in the horizontal flange of the clips 430 permit screws to be inserted into respective holes, e.g., 500, in the underside of the end slip fitter 428 to thereby attach the clips 430 to the end slip fitter 428. In assembly, in one embodiment, the clips 430 are first attached to the end slip fitter 428 using screws, and the slip fitter and clips subassembly is then inserted into the end cover 432 and screwed in place using a screw 501, as illustrated, for example, in
With respect to in
As illustrated in
It may be noted that, in various embodiments, the upper housing 419 may have one or more built-in lens attachment mechanisms. One of these mechanisms may comprise a pair of downwardly facing u-shaped channels 473, 475 at respective upper corners of the extrusion 419, while another may comprise respective openings 477, 479 on each side of the lower end of the upper extrusion 419. A third mechanism comprises channels 481, 483 formed on the bottom surface of the casting 417.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just described illustrative embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, various materials have been specified above for fabricating illustrative embodiments, and such materials may of course be different in different embodiments. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.
Claims
1. A lighting platform for mounting one or more LEDs comprising:
- a bottom cover having a bottom surface and first and second side channels formed at opposite corners thereof, the first and second channels each comprising inner and outer sidewalls spaced apart so as to define an upwardly facing opening running down the length of said bottom cover;
- a circuit board mounted to said bottom surface and carrying one or more LEDs;
- an upper housing having first and second downwardly extending surfaces, an inner side of the first downwardly extending end tip surface contacting the inner side wall of said first side channel and an inner side of the second end tip surface contacting the inner sidewall of said second downwardly extending channel; and
- respective threaded fastening devices inserted through said first and second side channels and angled upwardly and threaded into a respective one of said first and second end tip surfaces to thereby attach said bottom cover to said upper housing.
2. The lighting platform of claim 1 wherein said bottom cover and said upper housing are each formed of heat transmissive material and wherein said fastening devices establish contact between the first bottom cover and upper housing which is of a tightness selected to facilitate a desired level of heat transfer between said bottom cover and upper housing for thermal management purposes.
3. The lighting platform of claim 2 wherein said first bottom cover and said upper housing are each formed of aluminum.
4. The lighting platform of claim 2 wherein each of said fastening devices is a self-threading screw.
5. The lighting platform of claim 3 wherein each of said fastening devices is a self-threading screw.
6. The lighting platform of claim 1 wherein the respective first and second side channels each comprise a horizontal bottom, an outer vertical edge, and an inner vertical edge.
7. The lighting platform of claim 1 wherein each respective downwardly extending end tip portion extends beneath an end of a respective threaded fastening device and is shaped and dimensioned such that, if the bottom cover is properly mated and aligned with the upper housing, the respective threaded fastening devices bite in to the respective downwardly extending end tip portions and pull the bottom cover and upper housing together, whereas, if the bottom cover and upper housing are misaligned, the respective threaded fastening devices will not bite and hold at all.
8. The lighting platform of claim 7 wherein each of the respective threaded fastening devices is a self-threading screw.
9. The lighting platform of claim 1 wherein respective upper and lower vertical edges are formed within said upper housing spaced apart from said downwardly extending surface and wherein a wire management clip is attached between said upper and lower vertical edges so as to define a wireway within the upper housing.
10. The lighting platform of claim 1 further comprising an end assembly comprising an end slip fitter, respective right and left side clips, an end cover and a central assembly comprising a slip fitter and respective right and left side clips wherein the end slip fitter and central slip fitter are retained by upper lips of respective side channels formed on an upper surface of the upper housing.
11. A lighting platform for mounting one or more LEDs comprising:
- a bottom cover formed of heat transmissive material and having respective first and second side channels formed at opposite corners thereof, the first and second channels each comprising a horizontal bottom edge and a vertical side edge;
- a circuit board carrying on or more LEDs mounted to an undersurface of said bottom cover;
- an upper housing having formed of heat transmissive material and first and second downwardly extending end tip surfaces; and
- respective first and second screws inserted through said first and second side channels and angled upwardly and threaded into said first and second end tip surfaces to thereby attach said bottom cover to said upper housing, said respective screws being tightened to a tightness selected to establish heat transfer between the bottom cover and upper housing for thermal management purposes.
12. The lighting platform of claim 11 wherein the best transmissive material for which the bottom cover and upper housing are formed is aluminum.
13. The lighting platform of claim 11 wherein each of said fastening devices is a self-threading screw.
14. The lighting platform of claim 12 wherein each of said fastening devices is a self-threading screw.
15. The lighting platform of claim 11 wherein the respective first and second channels each comprise a horizontal bottom, an outer vertical edge, and an inner vertical edge.
16. A lighting platform for mounting one or more LEDs comprising:
- a bottom cover having respective first and second side channels formed at opposite corners thereof, the first and second channels each comprising a horizontal bottom edge and a vertical side edge;
- an upper housing configured to match with the bottom cover and having first and second downwardly extending end tip surfaces on opposite sides thereof;
- respective first and second fastening devices inserted through said first and second side channels and angled upwardly and threaded into a respective one of said downwardly extending end tip surfaces to thereby attach said bottom cover to said upper housing; wherein each respective downwardly extending end tip portion extends beneath an end of a respective fastening device and is shaped and dimensioned such that, if the bottom cover is properly mated and aligned with the upper housing, the respective first and second fastening devices bite in and pull the bottom cover and upper housing together, whereas, if the bottom cover and upper housing are misaligned, the respective fastening devices will not bite and hold at all.
17. The lighting platform of claim 16 wherein each of the fastening devices is a self-threading screw.
18. The lighting platform of claim 16 further comprising an end assembly comprising an end slip fitter, respective right and left side clips, an end cover and a central assembly comprising a slip fitter and respective right and left side clips wherein the end slip fitter and central slip fitter are retained by upper lips of respective side channels formed on an upper surface of the upper housing.
19. A lighting platform for mounting one or more LEDs comprising:
- a bottom cover having respective first and second upwardly opening side channels formed at opposite sides thereof;
- a circuit board carrying one or more LEDs mounted to a bottom surface of the bottom cover;
- an upper housing configured to mate with said bottom cover having respective downwardly extending surfaces on opposite sides thereof; and
- respective threaded fastening devices respectively inserted through said first and second channels and angled upwardly and threaded into said upper housing to thereby attach said bottom cover to said upper housing.
20. The lighting platform of claim 19 wherein said first bottom cover and said upper housing are each formed of heat transmissive material and wherein said fastening devices establish contact between the first bottom cover and upper housing which is of a tightness selected to facilitate a desired level of heat transfer between the bottom cover and upper housing for thermal management purposes.
21. The lighting platform of claim 20 wherein said bottom cover and said upper housing are each formed of aluminum.
22. The lighting platform of claim 19 wherein each of said fastening devices is a self-threading screw.
23. The lighting platform of claim 20 wherein each of said fastening devices is a self-threading screw.
24. The lighting platform of claim 21 wherein the respective first and second channels each comprise a horizontal bottom, an outer vertical edge, and an inner vertical edge.
25. The lighting platform of claim 19 wherein each downwardly extending surface comprises a downwardly extending tip portion into which a respective one of said threaded fastening devices is threaded.
26. Lighting apparatus comprising:
- a light fixture comprising one or more LEDs disposed on a bottom surface thereof and having an internal cavity within a housing; and
- a driver assembly comprising an LED driver for supplying power to said one or more LEDs mounted in the cavity, the driver assembly being spring biased such that a surface of the driver assembly is forced against a surface of the housing to facilitate heat transfer between the driver assembly and the upper housing.
27. The lighting apparatus of claim 26 wherein the resilient bias is a spring bias.
28. The lighting apparatus of claim 26 wherein said driver assembly includes a driver mounting bracket and wherein a top surface of the LED driver contacts and an undersurface of the driver bracket and an upper surface of the driver bracket contacts a surface of the housing such that heat is conducted from the LED driver through said bracket to the housing.
29. The lighting apparatus of claim 26 wherein said housing comprises a bottom cover and an upper housing.
30. The lighting apparatus of claim 28 wherein said housing comprises a bottom cover and an upper housing.
31. The lighting apparatus of claim 26 wherein the driver assembly includes a driver bracket attached to the LED driver and having respective flanges formed thereon and first and second bolts passing through the respective flanges and through respective springs to attach the driver bracket in position.
32. The lighting apparatus of claim 28 wherein said driver bracket is attached to said LED driver by double sided thermally conductive adhesive tape.
33. The lighting apparatus of claim 31 wherein said driver bracket is attached to said LED driver by double sided thermally conductive adhesive tape.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 17, 2015
Publication Date: Jan 7, 2016
Patent Grant number: 9897294
Applicant: Tempo Industries, LLC (Irvine, CA)
Inventors: Dennis Pearson (Foothill Ranch, CA), Guang Jin (Santa Monica, CA), Wesley Scott Dochnahl (Upland, CA), Jorge Santana (Irvine, CA)
Application Number: 14/856,853